In 2005, Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs gave a commencement speech at Stanford University. The address – which was recorded and uploaded onto YouTube six years ago – is as relevant today as it was six years ago.
Jobs is a true innovator – a visionary with an acute business sensibility who isn’t afraid to admit failure. I think we could learn something from his experiences, which is why I think his speech is worthy of mention and analysis.
In his address, Jobs discusses how a seemingly inconsequential event – i.e., the calligraphy course he enrolled in at Reed College – went on to shape his career. It was this course that inspired Jobs’ love of print, which would later manifest itself in Apple, the first computer to feature beautiful typography.
Jobs’ underlying message is to remain open to new things. I’ve met my share of business people and it’s surprising how many of them believe that success is achieved through a 'business first' mentality. While it does pay to be business-focused, it’s equally important to dedicate time to leisure activities. This helps reduce stress and can lead to new opportunities and ways of thinking, both of which can have a positive effect on your business.
Another great point Jobs brings up is the notion of 'settling', something he advises strongly against. According to Jobs, one can only be successful if they love what they do.
Being in business can be trying at times and it’s important to have confidence in the products or services you offer. Your faith is what will keep you going during turbulent times and you can’t believe in something you have no personal connection to. Loving what you do is an essential component of success.
Jobs concludes his speech by urging his audience to “stay hungry and foolish” – two character traits that have helped make Apple what it is today. Being 'foolish' doesn’t necessarily mean taking uncalculated risks; instead, it means adopting the ability to think outside of the proverbial box and developing the conviction to steer business into new directions (and learning from the mistakes that are made along the way).
If you have 15 minutes to spare, Jobs’ speech is definitely worth a look. Click here to see it.
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